Located next to the Orana Shopping Centre, the Dubbo Regional Botanic Garden is a green oasis in a sometimes hot dry central west. A large car park provides ample space to leave your car, with only a short walk to the entrance.
Dubbo Regional Botanic Garden
Japanese Gardens
Wandering through the Japanese gardens on a hot day was refreshing because of the running water and quiet surroundings. Waterfalls, a lake with Koi, sculpted dry gardens and beautiful trees make this a beautiful place to visit.
We loved the lake and fish because they were very relaxing to watch from the shade of a willow tree.
Waterfall in the Japanese Gardens
Waterfall in the Japanese Gardens
Willow and Lake in the Japanese Gardens
Lake in the Japanese Gardens
Pond in the Japanese Gardens
Japanese Gardens
Japanese Gardens
Sensory Garden Dubbo Regional Botanic Garden
You can enjoy this section of the gardens with all five senses because the design uses different plants for each. Colour, texture and smell are obvious, but sound comes from rustling leaves and running water, while taste comes from strawberries (or did during our visit).
This was an interesting section to visit, because it engaged all of the senses. With several areas to sit and relax, it’s a peaceful place to visit.
Part of the Sensory Garden
Oasis Valley
Oasis Valley displays plants from dry rain forest environments. A board walk winds through and over the plants, allowing great views of them. A nice surprise was the sculptures located here. Made from sandstone and depicting Australian wildlife, they are a great addition to the area.
The board walk continues into the Biodiversity Garden, providing a continuation of the local plant life.
Boardwalk Through Oasis Valley
Platypus Rock Sculpture
Wombat Rock Sculpture
Frog Rock Sculpture
Lizard Rock Sculpture in the Biodiversity Garden
Biodiversity Garden
The Biodiversity Garden is a living model of the major vegetation communities that thrived in this region before European settlement. The trails take you through grassy white box woodlands, past wetlands and climbs up a rocky, volcanic slope via a boardwalk. This is great because it lets you see endangered local plant life without going to difficult to find places.
What Did We Think?
This was a relaxing places to visit, especially the wonderful Shoyoen Japanese Gardens, which were beautiful.
To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.
Located near Dubbo in the central west of New South Wales, Taronga Western Plains Zoo is one of Australia’s premier zoos. The zoo is home to over 5,000 animals from over 350 species, many of them rare and endangered. Taronga is part of an international breeding and conservation program to ensure these animals survival.
Getting Around Taronga Western Plains Zoo
Being an open range zoo allows the animals to move freely, which is spread out over a huge area. The circuit road is five kilometres long, with numerous sidetracks showing various exhibits adding many kilometres. We managed to walk over 14km during our visit.
If you don’t feel like, or are unable to walk around the zoo, there are option including drive your own car, hire a bike or golf cart. Each of these has its own appeal, depending on your circumstances and the weather.
Refreshments
Food and drinks are available at the entrance where the Zoo Café and Bar is located, or at the halfway point at the Waterhole. We ate at the Waterhole because it was four hours into our visit and near lunch time.
The tables at the Waterhole are next to cages with meerkats. This is nice, because you can eat while watching them play. If you have children, this area has a small water park and play equipment, allowing them to play while you relax.
Throughout the park are several vending machines and water refill stations, which is great for that quick snack.
If you bring you own food, picnic areas are available, so you to eat surrounded by animals.
The Animals of Taronga Western Plains Zoo
With so many animals to see don’t rush, take your time. This way you will have a great visit while seeing lots of different animals.
Cheetah
We were lucky at the cheetah enclosure because they had just been fed. They were playing a game of tug with a piece of food, even though there was another piece lying nearby.
Cheetahs Fighting Over Food
Cheetah
Lion
Lion Enclosure
Female African Lions
Female African Lion
Sumatran Tiger
More tigers are located in Taronga’s Sydney Zoo, but this one looked very relaxed by itself. Taronga is proud to be part of a regional conservation management plan for Sumatran Tigers including breeding, research, fundraising and community action to support sustainably produced palm oil, which we all know has ruined the tigers natural habitat.
Sumatran Tiger
Rhinoceros
The zoo has three species of rhino on display. Each has its own large enclosure, where you can view them. It was great to see all three species, especially the critically endangered black rhino.
Black Rhinoceros
The black rhinoceros is classified as critically endangered, due to hunting and habitat loss.
Black Rhinoceros
Black Rhinoceros
Southern White Rhinoceros
The Southern white rhinoceros is the most abundant of the rhino sub-species, with around 20,000 living mostly in South Africa.
White Rhinoceros
White Rhinoceros
Greater One Horned Rhinoceros
The greater one-horned rhinoceros is native to the Indian subcontinent, and is listed as vulnerable, with under 4,000 animals globally.
Greater One Horned Rhinoceros
Camels
Dromedary camels
Hippopotamus
The hippos were active while we visited, munching grass while slowly walking around.
Common Hippopotamus
Taronga Western Plains Zoo Giraffe Herd
Seeing a herd of giraffes was great, as they acted like a family group[ with adults and calves moving together.
Giraffe
Ostrich
Ostrich
Emu
Two enclosures hold emus, including the walk around Australian section, where you can get up close to one. If you would rather see them from a distance, a large enclosure nearby has a flock of them walking around.
Emu
Emu
Swamp Wallaby
Swamp Wallaby
Banteng
Banteng
Addax
Addax
Eland
Eland
Bongo
These vividly striped animals were eating breakfast, so we were able to see them up close.
A Vividly Striped Bongo
Bongo
Takhi / Przewalksi’s Horse
Taronga Western Plains Zoo holds a large herd of Takhi or Przewalksi’s Horse. The story of the Takhi is told on information boards, inside building resembling Yurts, because the horses come from Mongolia.
Takhi or Przewalksi’s Horse
Persian Onager
Persian Onager
White Handed Gibbon
White Handed Gibbon
Meerkats
Always fun to watch, the meerkats put on a fun display, chasing each other and play fighting. There are two meerkat displays, one near the entrance and a second at the Watering Hole Café.
Meerkats Fighting
Otters
Sunning themselves on the grass, the family of otters were sleepy but curious about the people looking at them. Several are staring at the camera while the photo was taken.
Otters
African Wild Dog
African Wild Dog
Galapagos Turtle
The last exhibit before you exit the park is the Galapagos turtles, what a great sight they are. We have seen them on TV shows, but to see them up close really lets you grasp how large they are. They are also very old, with the male around 50 and the female over 100 years old.
Look at the exhibit behind the turtles, because there are several young ones there, around five to seven years old when we visited.
Galapagos Turtle
Galapagos Turtle
Interesting Statues, Sculptures and Buildings at Taronga Western Plains Zoo
Silhouettes at The Pride Lands
Wildebeest Silhouettes
Vulture Sculpture
Lion Sculpture
Rhinoceros Sculpture
Entry to the Fallow Deer Enclosure
What Did We Think?
Taronga Western Plains Zoo is a great place to visit, not just for the animals you see, but because of the understanding you get about how fragile their existence is. On your trip around the zoo, you learn about their endangered environments. At the same time it is enjoyable and kids have great fun here.
To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.
Located on Wingewarra Street Dubbo the Western Plains Cultural Centre has an excellent collection of local historical displays and art. During our visit the local final year students had their artwork on display, which was great to see. The museum section displayed a large range of items, which provided a feeling for the rich history of the region.
2020 HSC Works From the Dubbo Region
Exhibited as “Meet the Mark”, this display featured artists from the Wellington and Dubbo senior students. Produced for their HSC, these works highlighted the young talent in the area.
Pride Power Ambush by Rashmi Perera 2020 St John’s College
Tethered by Jailyn Webb 2020 St John’s College
Still Life With Assimilation by Felicity Jeresano 2020 St John’s College
Dubbo History
The centre’s permanent exhibition is titled “People, Places, Possessions” because it focuses on the agricultural landscape and people of the area. The original inhabitants of the region, the Thubbagah people commence the story, followed by pastoral settlement.
A large section was devoted to agricultural history, including the introduction of the first portable steam engine. Face goggles from World War Two and a uniform from the 1885 Sudan war illustrated Dubbo’s link to the military.
A classroom from the time before digital electronics was great, because it brought back memories for us. How classrooms used to operate would amaze current students.
Artefacts of the Thubbagah People of the Dubbo Area
Wool Wagon at Western Plains Cultural Centre
Davey Paxman 16943 Portable Steam Engine from the Dubbo Sawmill
Wilkins Kennedy and Spence Coach Builders Buggy
Farm Tools
Sudan Volunteer’s Uniform From the 1885 Conflict
A Camera in the Western Plains Cultural Centre
Old Classroom
What Did We Think
This was a fun place to visit, especially the local museum displays. These gave a greater understanding of the history of the area, going back to aboriginal times. The display of high school students’ works was a great added bonus but we enjoyed all of the art on display.
To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.
